The Rider of Rosewood

Theo relaxed in the back seat of Duke's Jeep as they drove down the bumpy dirt road. Rosalind was fast asleep in his lap. She had shifted back into her human form during the night.

"Do you have any idea how much trouble we're in?" Theo whispered in her ear. "Now we're on the run thanks to you." He tried to be angry with her, but she looked so cute with her head resting on his shoulder. "Also, your brother almost got himself shot last night, but he saved us all in the end. I've never seen anything so stupid yet brave."

Chandler took a large gulp of his energy drink in an attempt to relieve his hangover. "I should have left you to be devoured by the alphas."

Theo crossed his arms. "But you didn't."

After a few moments of silence, Heath spoke up. "You know, Chandler, I think you're jealous because Theo is smarter than you."

"Shut up, Heath."

Duke gripped the steering wheel and clenched his teeth. "I'm going to need all of you to stop bickering, or I'm going to drive this car into the river!"

“Hey, there's no reason to be so upset," Heath said.

"No reason? Have you forgotten the fact we're wanted dead or alive by the Silver Huntsmen? They’re most likely tracking us right now and there’s no way we can hold them off alone. I’d say that’s a valid reason to be upset.

"What if we weren't alone?" Rosalind asked.

Theo leaned back, startled. "How long have you been awake?"

"Long enough."

Duke let out a sigh. "I don't know anyone outside the Silver Huntsmen who'd be willing to help us,"

"But Theo and I do."

Theo raised an eyebrow. "We do?"

"My Gran only lives about half a mile from here. I'll ask her if we can stay, and I bet your stepdad has plenty of spare hunting traps we can set around the perimeter. "

Theo fidgeted in his seat. "I haven't spoken to my stepfather since he found out I'm a werewolf. I don't know how he'll react to seeing me again."

"Don't worry, Duke and I will go with you," Heath said.

Chandler almost spat out his drink. "Are you guys serious? You're gonna leave me alone with the crazy old lady?"

"Gran isn't crazy!" Rosalind frowned. "And you won't be alone, I'm going with you."

Chandler rolled his eyes. "Great."

Duke let out a small chuckle under his breath.

"What are you laughing at?" Chandler hissed.

"I spent all these years thinking you weren't afraid of anything, but now I see you're afraid of your grandma."

Chandler crossed his arms. "She's scary when she's angry, and I forgot to get her birthday last year and the year before that…” he trailed off.

"You're unbelievable," Rosalind scoffed.

Duke dropped her and Chandler off in front of Gran's cabin.

When Rosalind stepped out of the Jeep, Theo stopped her. "I have something for you."

He opened the trunk and revealed the bow and quiver from the Sightless Caverns. "I found these in your room, and I figured you'd want me to bring them."

She threw her arms around him. "Thank you."

He returned her embrace. "Stay safe."

Heath honked the horn.

Theo squeezed her hand. "I have to go." He climbed into the back seat of the car, and they drove away, leaving Rosalind and Chandler alone on the forest path.

The pair stood in silence, staring at the log cabin for an uncomfortably long time.

"Are you ready to go?" Rosalind asked.

"No."

She sighed. "Why did you let me believe you were dead?"

He looked away. "I don't know. I wanted to reach out to you but then, I thought maybe you were better off without me. I'm such a mess, Rosalind. I'm not the same person I was when we were kids. You deserve to keep those happy memories without knowing the kind of person I've become."

She gave him a tight hug. "I've missed you so much."

He awkwardly patted her on the back. "I missed you too, kiddo."

"I'm sorry I shot you in the hand."

I'm sorry I ruined your sweatshirt that was technically my sweatshirt."

"Gee thanks."

After the hug became uncomfortable, Rosalind said. "Let's go inside."

Rosalind knocked on the front door.

"Go away!"

"C'mon Gran, it's me." She peered through the crack in the door. "Let me in."

"No."

"I don't have time for this,” Chandler murmured. He pounded his fists on the door. "Open up, old lady, or I'll tear the door down!"

Rosalind grabbed his shoulder. "Knock it off, Chandler! She won't let us in if you threaten her!"

Gran opened the door a few inches. "Chandler?"

He ran his fingers through his hair. "Hey, Gran."

"Is it really you?"

He let out a deep sigh. "Yeah, it's me."

She pulled them both inside, then slammed the door behind them.

Gran stood on her tiptoes, so she could get a better look at Chandler's face. Her eyes filled up with tears. "You've grown up so much." She slapped him across the face with her slipper. "Why did it take you so long to come home?"

He shrugged off his leather jacket. "Listen, I'm sorry I didn't come back sooner, but I'm going through some personal stuff and I needed time to figure myself out."

"We're your family, Chandler. We've been waiting for you to come home for so long and whatever you're going through we'll understand."

He turned away.

"Wait!" Rosalind turned to Gran. "You knew he was alive this whole time?"

Gran placed a hand on her shoulder. "I intended to tell you eventually."

"I can't believe this!" She broke herself free from her grandmother's grasp. "Were you eventually going to tell me I'm a werewolf?"

Everything went silent.

"I was going to tell you when you were older."

"When?"

"When you were ready to handle the news."

"When?"

"I don't know!" Gran snapped. She let out a quick sigh. then regained her composure. "I was afraid if you knew about your brother, your Lycanthropy, and the Silver Huntsmen, you'd leave me to join them. I've been so lonely since Luna left me to join them, and I've enjoyed your company."

She balled her hands into fists. "I had a right to know the truth."

Her expression turned somber. "I know."

Chandler frowned. "I didn't come here to deal with family drama. We're here because we need your help."

Gran placed a finger on his lips, silencing him. "You want to know if you and your friends can stay here? Right?"

"How'd you know that's what we were going to ask you?"

She stared out the window. "I could smell them outside. Listen, I don't trust the Silver Huntsmen one bit, but I trust my granddaughter if she trusts these boys, I suppose they can stay for a little while. "

"What happened between you and the Huntsmen?" Rosalind asked.

"They took me in when I was a cub. I was all alone and too naive to know any better. They trained me to kill, and I was good at it. The Council of Alphas was very impressed with my skills and I quickly climbed their ranks. I became the youngest Pack Mother in Silver Huntsman history. Several years later, I gave birth to twins."

"Twins?" Rosalind leaned forward in her chair. "I had no idea you had other kids besides my mom!"

She let out a somber sigh. It's not something I like to talk about, but your mother had a twin sister."

"What happened to her?"

"She was a runt. When she was young, I kept her by my side at all times, but as she became more independent I couldn’t keep track of her. She couldn’t run as fast or fight as hard as the other wolves, which put the pack in danger. The Council ordered me to eliminate her.”

"I didn't know there were any other runts in our family." Chandler's expression went cold. "What did you do to her?"

"Nothing." Gran refused to make eye contact. "She snuck out one night while she was in her wolf form, and she was captured by a group of hunters camping out near our den. They didn't know she was a werewolf they assumed she was an abnormally large wolf. They thought she'd make a nice trophy, so they shot her. I watched everything from a distance, but I did nothing. I told myself her death was necessary to the survival of our kind. Over the years, the guilt ripped me apart from the inside, and eventually, I couldn't bear it anymore. I resigned from the Silver Huntsmen and never looked back.”

"You let your own daughter die because she was a runt?" Chandler hissed. His voice was full of venom.

"Believe me, not a single day goes by that I don't regret letting her go."

He clenched his fists. "How am I supposed to trust you now?"

Gran sighed, stood up, walked into her bedroom, and closed the door behind her. A few minutes later, she returned holding a toy wolf.

Rosalind examined the stuffed animal. A wave of childhood memories she'd nearly forgotten came rushing back to her. Hey! It's Mister Fluffy! You used to play with him all the time!"

Chandler held the toy close to his chest. "Yeah, I did."

"It was my daughter's favorite toy when she was alive. I gave it to you on the day you were born. I promised that I would love and protect my grandkids no matter what."

Chandler stood up and stuffed the toy into his pocket, hoping no one would notice. "I still don't trust you."

Rosalind's stomach churned with guilt. "Gran, I'm sorry, I gave away the enchanted locket, but someone else needed it more than I did."

Gran placed a hand on Rosalind's forehead to gauge her temperature. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Umm… Yes, why?"

"Because you've been wearing your it this whole time.

"What?" She glanced down and sure enough, the heart-shaped locket dangled around her neck.

"Your Mixedblood friend gave it back to you after your little incident at the banquet."

"Why didn't he tell me?"

Chandler placed a hand on her shoulder. "He didn't want you to worry."

"Why didn't you try to stop him?"

"Because it's none of my business."

Rosalind pushed his hand away.

The sound of a knock on the front door started them.

None of them made a sound as the intruder scratched at the lock.

The door flung open. Gregorio stood in the doorway. "I need to speak with you!"